Pro-Life | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Marvin Thomas Richardson August 5, 1941 (1941-08-05) (age 84) Carbon County, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Political party | Constitution (2022–present; before 2006) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2006–2022) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 15[1][2] |
| Residence(s) | Letha,Idaho, U.S. |
| Education | Brigham Young University (BA) |
| Occupation | Organic farmer |
Pro-Life (bornMarvin Thomas Richardson; August 5, 1941) is an Americanperennial candidate andstrawberry farmer known for his strongopposition to abortion, which inspired him to legally change his name.[3] He lives in the unincorporated community ofLetha, Idaho.[4] He has made several unsuccessful runs for political office in Idaho[5] and has stated his intention to continue running for office until his death.[3][6] Pro-Life ran in the2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho, receiving 2.2% of the vote, and was most recently theConstitution Party nominee in the2022 Idaho lieutenant gubernatorial election, receiving 5.1%.
Born Marvin Thomas Richardson, Pro-Life was born inCarbon County, Wyoming, to aLatter Day Saint family. He playedbasketball in high school and attendedBrigham Young University on anathletic scholarship but was eventually cut from the varsity basketball team. He graduated from BYU in 1967 with a degree inpolitical science after serving as anLDS missionary inArizona,California, andNevada.[2]
Pro-Life has worked as anorganic farmer since 2002, mainly farmingstrawberries. He has previously worked as anaccountant,coal miner, and salesman ofirrigation equipment andCaterpillar parts.[2]
As Marvin Richardson, Pro-Life first ran for public office in 2004 when he challengedRepublicanKathy Skippen for a seat in theIdaho House of Representatives. Skippen won 78% to 22%.[7]
Havinglegally changed his middle name to "Pro-Life" in 2004,[2] Richardson filed for the2006 Idaho governor's race as Marvin Pro-Life Richardson.[3] TheIdaho Secretary of State's office would not allow Richardson to appear on the ballot with his new middle name, although he could be listed as Marvin P. Richardson. Secretary of StateBen Ysursa said, "We've made it clear to him since March we were not going to put 'pro-life' on the ballot, and that's still our position. The ballot is not supposed to be a forum for political expression—it's supposed to be as neutral as it can be."[8] Richardson was invited to participate in the 2006 gubernatorial debate, but did not respond to his invitation in time.[9] Initially, Richardson was theConstitution Party's candidate in the 2006 gubernatorial election,[10] but theConstitution Party of Idaho disavowed him. That year, he had his name changed to simply "Pro-Life," but still appeared as Marvin Richardson on the ballot.[8] In the election, he received 1.62 percent of the vote, behindDemocratJerry Brady and the winner,RepublicanButch Otter.[11]
In 2008, Pro-Life ran as an independent for theUnited States Senate seat being vacated byLarry Craig. That year, he was allowed to appear on the ballot as "Pro-Life." The executive director of an Idahoanti-abortion group expressed concern that voters would mistake Pro-Life's name on the ballot for a position rather than a candidate.[12] Such fears led to a qualifier next to Pro-Life's name on the ballot: "(A person, formerly known as Marvin Richardson)."[13] He has appeared thus on all subsequent Idaho ballots. He received 1.34 percent of the votes in the race, behindLibertarian Kent Marmon, independentRex Rammell, DemocratLarry LaRocco, and the winner, RepublicanJim Risch.[14]
In 2010, Pro-Life ran for governor for a second time.[15] He came in fifth in the race, behind Libertarian Ted Dunlap, independent Jana Kemp, DemocratKeith Allred, and the winner, Republican Butch Otter.[16]
Pro-Life was a candidate forIdaho's 1st congressional district in theUnited States Congress in 2012.[17] He ran against incumbent RepublicanRaúl Labrador and DemocratJimmy Farris. According toOpenSecrets, Pro-Life's 2012 campaign was entirely self-financed.[18] The incumbent won the race.[19]
Pro-Life ran a third campaign forGovernor of Idaho in the2014 gubernatorial election.[6][20]
Pro-Life ran for theSenate again in 2016.[21][22] He was defeated in theConstitution Party primary on May 17, 2016 by Ray J. Writz.[23]
Pro-Life has said he believes that abortion ismurder, and he supports charging doctors who perform abortions with murder.[12]
He opposed theTroubled Asset Relief Program as a candidate in 2008, citing concerns that its implementation would result in "a total fascist dictatorship run by the bankers."[24] He opposes war undertaken without a declaration of war by Congress;[17] he supports anon-interventionist foreign policy and considers the wars inIraq,Afghanistan, andLibya to be unjust and unconstitutional.[25] He also opposespublic education, which he considers to becommunist.[3] After theSandy Hook Elementary School shooting, he suggested allowing Idaho sheriffs to organize groups of armed volunteers to protect schools.[6]
Pro-Life is avegetarian.[3] As Marvin Richardson, he married Jean Benson in 1964; they divorced in 1982.[2]
He has been married to Kirsten Faith since 1982. In 2006, she ran for the Idaho House of Representatives as the Constitution Party nominee against RepublicanSteven Thayn, receiving 3,026 votes (24.56%).[26] Pro-Life encouraged her to run for this position, despite their conviction thatwomen should not work outside the home.[27]
Pro-Life has 15 children, seven from his previous wife, and eight from his current wife.[28]
Formerly a member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Pro-Life left the church in 1998, because of his view that the church does not ascribepersonhood to the unborn.[2]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Kathy Skippen | 11,216 | 77.86% | |
| Constitution | Marvin T. Richardson[a] | 3,189 | 22.14% | |
| Total votes | 14,405 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Butch Otter | 237,437 | 52.67% | |
| Democratic | Jerry Brady | 198,845 | 44.11% | |
| Constitution | Marvin Richardson[b] | 7,309 | 1.62% | |
| Libertarian | Ted Dunlap | 7,241 | 1.61% | |
| Total votes | 450,832 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Butch Otter (incumbent) | 267,483 | 59.11% | |
| Democratic | Keith Allred | 148,680 | 32.85% | |
| Independent | Jana M. Kemp | 26,655 | 5.89% | |
| Libertarian | Ted Dunlap | 5,867 | 1.30% | |
| Independent | Pro-Life | 3,850 | 0.85% | |
| Total votes | 452,535 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Butch Otter (incumbent) | 235,405 | 53.53% | |
| Democratic | A.J. Balukoff | 169,556 | 38.56% | |
| Libertarian | John Bujak | 17,884 | 4.07% | |
| Independent | Jill Humble | 8,801 | 2.00% | |
| Constitution | Steve Pankey | 5,219 | 1.19% | |
| Independent | Pro-Life | 2,870 | 0.65% | |
| Total votes | 439,735 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Risch | 371,744 | 57.65% | |
| Democratic | Larry LaRocco | 219,903 | 34.11% | |
| Independent | Rex Rammell | 34,510 | 5.35% | |
| Libertarian | Kent A. Marmon | 9,958 | 1.54% | |
| Independent | Pro-Life | 8,662 | 1.34% | |
| Total votes | 644,777 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Raúl Labrador | 199,489 | 62.97% | |
| Democratic | Jimmy Farris | 97,436 | 30.76% | |
| Libertarian | Rob Oates | 12,264 | 3.87% | |
| Independent | Pro-Life | 7,605 | 2.40% | |
| Total votes | 316,794 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Simpson | 250,678 | 64.06% | |
| Democratic | Aaron Swisher | 124,151 | 31.72% | |
| Constitution | Pro-Life | 8,573 | 2.19% | |
| Libertarian | Rob Oates | 7,940 | 2.03% | |
| Total votes | 391,342 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Scott Bedke | 376,269 | 64.38% | ||
| Democratic | Terri Pickens Manweiler | 178,147 | 30.48% | ||
| Constitution | Pro-Life | 29,989 | 5.13% | ||
| Total votes | 584,405 | 100% | |||
| Republicanhold | |||||